Best of

the Twin Cities

Best Reissue

The Twin/Tone Years, the Replacements

Could the vinyl box set reissue of the Replacements' first four records — Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash ('81), Stink ('82), Hootenanny ('83), and Let It Be ('84) — be stuffed with more goodies, booklets, remasters, rarities, doodads, and whathaveyous? Sure, that'd be nice, but let's not guild the goddamn lily: Your life is infinitely improved by being able to scoop up the Twin/Tone-era discography of Minneapolis' greatest punk band for $67. Released in August 2015, two months after the reformed group called it quits (see Best Band to Break Up in the Past 12 Months), The Twin/Tone Years tracks the band's early evolution — from the scrappy punk blasters on Sorry Ma to the coming-of-age genius of Let It Be. Drag the needle across these classics as you power-read Bob Mehr's indispensable new Replacements biography, Trouble Boys, and 'Mats nirvana will be "Within Your Reach."